


GARO vs Gaim - Cursed Forest Chronicles

by kiranosaurusrex



Category: GARO: Yami o Terasu Mono, GARO: Yami wo Terasu Mono, Kamen Rider Gaim
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-28
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-05-29 14:19:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6379609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiranosaurusrex/pseuds/kiranosaurusrex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Disembarking from the ship, Aguri didn’t expect someone to be there to welcome him.</p>
<p>“Welcome to Zawame City, Kusugami Aguri. I’ve been expecting you.”</p>
<p>"Who are you?"</p>
<p>“Most people call me Sengoku Ryouma these days. But I used to be known by another in the past.”</p>
<p>Soul Metal hit Soul Metal when the two identical bows connected with a soft clang and twin arrows were pointed at the heart of the respective other.</p>
<p>“And that name was…”</p>
<p>“Kusugami.” Aguri finished the sentence for the other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Summoned

**Author's Note:**

> So I watched Yami wo Terasu Mono (and Gold Storm) and well, I don't know where this thing will go or whether I will be working on it regularly. This was originally written as just a blurb for fic shiritori but I have a bit more lined up. So maybe there'll be an update in the not too distant future. I hear a new GARO series is lined up, so maybe that'll motivate me to write more :)
> 
> Other characters from both GARO and Gaim will be making an appearance in later installments of this.
> 
>  
> 
> Note (but I figure most of you know): Kusugami Aguri and Sengoku Ryouma were both portrayed by Aoki Tsunenori

“You really should pay more attention. Or you’ll risk getting attacked from behind. Horrors aren’t honorable knights after all. They fight dirty.”

Aguri was unable to move, paralyzed less by the weapon held to his neck and more by the voice talking to him, the person behind him, who he could see from the corner of his eyes, in the reflection in his glasses.

“Destiny awaits you in Zawame City, Kusugami Aguri.”

Those were the last words he heard before he jerked awake. Looking around disoriented at first, Aguri made a grab for his glasses and put them onto his nose. The sun was rising above the ancient ruins from what he could see and apart from him, nobody else seemed to be around.

A dream. A strange one at that.

The feeling of unease didn’t leave Aguri for hours. And then it got even worse when he sensed that he had guests later that night.

“Ryuuga, Rian, you’re back.” He hadn’t seen the other two ever since they had left Vol City quite a while ago. And their travels had changed them. Aguri could tell right away from the looks in their eyes. “I’m afraid to ask for the reason that you returned for I doubt it’s because you’ve gotten tired of traveling already.”

“A sharp one, aren’t you, Aguri. We’re here to deliver a message for you.” Ryuuga replied and looked at Rian. “It’s from the Senate. Don’t ask me why they asked us out of all people.”

Rian shrugged. “Maybe they wanted someone who was familiar with Vol City to watch over it while Aguri is gone. And well, this is technically my territory.” She drew her brush and no five seconds later, a message started to appear in the air in front of Aguri.

“Zawame City.” Aguri looked at the words written in the ancient Makai script. The city mentioned in his dream. “Why are they sending me?”

“They always have a reason.” Rian lowered her brush again. “Can you leave tonight?”

“No time for reunions, huh? Very well.” Aguri nodded and went to pack his belongings.

A few hours later found him on a ferry bound for Zawame City. He didn’t arrive in the other city until it was almost dusk on the next day. Disembarking from the ship, Aguri didn’t expect someone to be there to welcome him. Especially not someone who looked so much - almost exactly - like him. If he had been any other person, he was sure he would have lost his cool but Aguri retained his composure, at least outwardly.

The two of them stared at each other silently until everyone else had left and the darkness had fallen around them completely. Only then did the other speak.

“Welcome to Zawame City, Kusugami Aguri. I’ve been expecting you.”

“Who are you? And were you the one who summoned me?” Aguri asked, not beating around the bush. His fingers tightened around his bow, securely wrapped in a layer of cloth to keep it hidden from the eyes of the normal humans, the mere mortals.

The other smiled. “It wasn’t me who called you here. At least not directly. I might have been one of the reasons, though.” Slender fingers were shoved into the pockets of a pristine white lab coat. “As for who I am, most people call me Sengoku Ryouma these days.” His eyes looked into Aguri’s. “But I used to be known by another in the past.”

It only took a few swift, trained movements for Aguri to pull out his bow and arm it.

Soul Metal hit Soul Metal when the two identical bows connected with a soft clang and twin arrows were pointed at the heart of the respective other.

“And that name was…” the other let the sentence drift off.

“Kusugami,” Aguri finished it for him. There was no doubt about it.

 

To be continued...


	2. Encountered

Aguri jerked awake from his dreams once more when the ferry’s horn echoed through the halls loudly, signalling their imminent arrival.

Another strange dream.

Why did he kept seeing this person in his dreams? Someone who looked like him and yet wasn’t, someone else with the name Kusugami. Aguri didn’t even know whether or not the other was real or just some strange figment of his imagination, his subconsciousness. Dreams didn’t make sense a lot of the time after all.

According to his family records another Kusugami should not exist, though. Especially not one who looked exactly like him. Aguri knew how meticulous the Kusugami records were kept. Things were always spotless. His family was proud, strict and followed the rules to the dot.

That was how he had been raised. But somehow, after the events in Vol City, his view of the world had changed slightly, so he couldn’t help the shadow of doubt that remained somewhere over his thoughts. Something told him that the dreams weren’t random. That there was more to them and that he should pay careful attention to them.

When he really arrived in Zawame, disguised as yet another normal traveller, nobody was there to pick him up. Aguri kept his face mostly hidden though, as a precaution.

Most people didn’t spare him a second glance though. They minded their own business.

Aguri had noticed upon boarding the ferry that one thing seemed to be prominent in this city, Yggdrasill Corporation. It was reminiscent of how Vol City had been plastered with the logo of the Kaneshiro Corporation. Somehow it left a bitter taste in Aguri’s mouth.

Something was wrong with this city for sure. He could feel it.

“I should make haste,” he muttered to himself and then followed the directions on a map in his hand. It didn’t look like it would be far.

Arriving at the destination which had been mentioned in the message he’d received from Rian, Aguri found the local priest’s lair vacant and cold. Nobody had been here for at least a couple of days. There was no sign and no message whatsoever from Lantis. It was rather worrisome. As were the burn marks outside of the building he had spotted on the way in.

Something close to the desk caught his eye. A wilted piece of plant and what looked like a piece of fruit. He didn’t recognize the leaves and the shape or smell of the fruit though. Something, maybe his Makai Knight instincts, told him that they didn’t belong into this world.

A roar somewhere behind him alerted him and he whirled around to find a monster there. It wasn’t a Horror - his lighter showed no reaction. It also didn’t seem as vicious as a Horror. Aguri couldn’t determine what it was. Just that it wasn’t human or Horror. Because neither of them should have been able to come through the barrier the priest had set up around this place. It was still intact, from what Aguri could tell. The spell wouldn’t vanish even if the caster died.

He was about to draw his bow when he heard sounds. The monster had apparently heard them as well and it left the lair. There were people coming.

Aguri followed the monster at a safe distance, careful not to draw its - or anyone else’s - attention. He was just peeking around a corner when he saw the monster explode in a flash of light, leaving nothing but a poof of smoke. And then another thing caught his attention. Fresh green vines and purplish-blue fruit. They were everywhere in the hallway.

“Exterminate!” Somebody shouted and a then hot orange flames came forth.

Making a grab for one of the vines and fruit quickly, Aguri vanished from human sight again before anyone could spot him. The fire wouldn’t get far. This building was mostly concrete. And the barrier would keep it from destroying anything important.

Back in the lair, he looked at the vine and fruit in his hand.

Something told him that this was an important clue to the mystery of this city.

Pulling out a Madou glass, he put the fruit and some preserving liquid inside. Once he was done with that, he went about sending a message. He wouldn’t be able to act on his own. Not considering the orders he’d been giving. So he needed to summon another Makai Priest.

He wouldn’t wait for Lantis. Aguri had the feeling that the other wouldn’t return. Ever.

 

~*~

 

The door to the main laboratory at Yggdrasill opened and closed quietly.

“Two Cracks in the same area in a matter of a few days. Should that tell us something, Ryoma?”

Turning around in his chair, Ryoma crossed his arms. “I don’t know. It’s hard to calculate the appearances and frequency of Cracks as it is.” He looked at Takatora and frowned. “That doesn’t seem to be the main thing on your mind, though?”

Takatora shook his head and then pulled out a file. “There are more, Ryoma. Disappearances. As you predicted, they occur around where the Cracks appear but there are no reports of more Invess appearing. And at most sites, the amount of fruit was too big for an Invess to have been feeding on them as much as it needs to.”

Ryoma took the file and flipped it open, an uncharacteristic frown appearing on his face. “I do not like this.” He muttered to himself. “I do not like something I do not know.” He rose from his chair. “I need more data on this, Takatora.”

“I know. I’ve prepared a car. Nobody but us will know about this.”

“Good.”

 

~*~

 

Aguri didn’t have to wait long for ‘reinforcements’ to arrive at the port of Zawame City. He quirked up and eyebrow though, when he saw who was disembarking the ferry.

“Yo, Aguri. Long time no see.” Takeru grinned and shouldered his bag. “Missed me?”

“Merciful gods, why did they send you?” Aguri sighed but couldn’t supress the smile that tugged on the corners of his lips. “And this isn’t the only reunion, is it?” He looked at the other two people and Rien and Ryuga smiled. “Didn’t think I’d see you again so soon. But with all of you here, who is watching over Vol City?”

“The Council sent Priest Daarima to take our place for the time being along with a Makai Knight, just in case. They said that we were better suited for this job than anyone else.” Rien replied. “If they had arrived a few hours earlier, we could have gone with you but alas.”

“They seem to be knowing more about this than we do.” Aguri pushed his glasses back up and sighed. “Or maybe they just have a hunch.” He wanted to believe in the council, but sometimes that proved to be a rather difficult task. Right now was no exception. He looked at the other three. “I trust you felt something the moment you set foot into this city? Ryuga?”

The owner of the Garo armor nodded. “Most certainly. Something’s up in this city.”

Takeru looked ahead. “Something is up alright. And it looks like it wants to invite us to a party.”

People were scattering, screaming. Something had appeared by the docks not too far from them. Ryuga pulled out his lighter and sure enough, an eerie green light was emitted from the monster’s eyes when the magical flame lit up its face. But a hint of blue and red seemed to bleed into the green and black as well, just before the flame went out.

“What the hell?” Takeru pulled out his sword.

There was not much time for reactions, though. Rian took care of the people, trying to get them to safety, while the three Makai Knights went to engage the Horror in one of the empty warehouses and away from prying eyes.

The Horror seemed more primitive than the ones they usually fought, animalistic somehow but at the same time also a lot stronger than what they were used to. It was raw strength, less calculated. All the energy was focused on survival.

“Can I just say that I don’t like how we seem to have become the experts for weirdly mutated Horrors in a weird city?” Takeru made a face and blocked an attack with his arm-shield. “If this turns out to be some sort of suicide mission again, I am seriously going to give the council a piece of my mind. For real.”

“It’s always a suicide mission, really.” Aguri sighed. “But I know what you mean.”

Ryuga shrugged. “See it as a challenge.”

“Well, not like we have a choice.” Takeru rolled his eyes.

During the battle, they noticed something else that was strange about the Horror. Their weapons seemed to be less effective against it than they were against other Horrors.

Aguri stopped and pulled back while both Ryuga and Takeru engaged the Horror, Takeru summoning his armor for a power boost. But Aguri knew that it would be futile. They had to find a weak spot somewhere or they might be fighting for who knows how long.

He observed the movements of the Horror creature. And then he found it. An opening below one of the chest-plates of the Horror’s armor.

“Ryuga, Takeru, try to keep it still, I think I found a weak spot! I will aim for it!” He called out.

“Any other requests? Maybe a nice back massage?” Takeru shot back but moved to restrain the Horror nevertheless. Ryuga summoned his armor as well and went to help.

Pulling one of his arrows out, Aguri took aim. He just hoped this would work.

Well, there was only one way to find out.

“Ready!”

“Go for it!”

Focusing all of his energy, Aguri released the arrow and it whizzed towards the Horror. Along the way, a bright flash of light combined itself with Aguri’s arrow and the light-laced weapon pierced the creature’s chest. With a loud, pained wail it burst into flames and vanished.

Ryuga’s and Takeru’s armors disappeared again and the three Makai Knights looked up towards the direction from which the light had come.

Two silhouettes were visible in the eerie light of dusk.

“Makai Knights?” Ryuga squinted. “No, their armor is different.”

Aguri felt his stomach twist for some reason.

The two ‘knights’ jumped down and landed in front of the trio. With a flick of their wrists, their armors dissolved and revealed their human forms. When Ryuga, Takeru and Aguri looked at one of them, they almost froze in unison.

Aguri swallowed. It was the person from his dream. There was no mistaking it. He stepped forward and addressed the other. “Sengoku Ryoma.”

“I find it most intriguing that someone exists in this city who looks so much like myself. I find it most irritating that I was absolutely not aware of any of this.” Ryouma eyed Aguri and his eyes narrowed slightly. “I find it even more irritating that you seem to know who I am and yet I have not the slightest idea about who you might be.”

“He looks exactly like you.” Ryuga blinked.

Takeru rolled his eyes. “No shit Sherlock. I don’t think anyone else noticed.”

 

**To be continued...**


End file.
